The French Olympic football team got its preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games off to a good start by dominating Paraguay (4-1) in Bayonne.

In the uncertainty of putting together a coherent and competitive group, Thierry Henry appreciated the first official outing of his Olympic Blues, logical winners of Paraguay (4-1) at the end of a tight match, Thursday evening in Bayonne.

The former Gunner was heading into a bit of the unknown against the Paraguayans, winners of the CONMEBOL 2024 pre-Olympic tournament, notably by eliminating Brazil. Especially after losing Kephren Thuram on Wednesday, banned from participating in the Games by his future club, Juventus, and seeing the South Americans respond, physically, to the tricolor challenge, for a good half hour before dropping off and suffering.

Fortunately, in his Olympic hat, Henry has playmakers and real ball players who, when they are well connected, can do damage. The impression left by Michael Olise, announced insistently on the side of Bayern Munich and who would be, in the event of his departure, a big loss for the French offensive animation, reassured on the potential of the team.

Also read: France-Paraguay: Mateta decisive, Lukeba at fault… The tops and the flops

Because the Crystal Palace resident shone on the pitch of the Aviron rugby players, being at the origin or conclusion of all the French situations. And it was on one of his breakthroughs in the middle just before the break, followed by a perfect shift that his club partner Jean-Philippe Mateta, with a flat left foot, equalized (1-1). READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Opposition of style

Because in this opposition of style against aggressive and tenacious Paraguayans, the defensive errors of the central hinge were costly and this from the start with an opportunistic Juan Salcedo to steal the ball from Castello Lukeba before calmly adjusting Guillaume Restes with a cross shot (3).

The multiple changes made at half-time did nothing to disrupt the French machine. Quite the opposite, especially when seriousness returns to the ranks. An acceleration by Enzo Millot led to a penalty left to Mateta (51) by the +general+ Alexandre Lacazette.

Then when the physical and technical difference finally extinguished the opposing ambitions, Rayan Cherki really came back on track at the end of a rush from Désiré Doué (72). To the delight of the Bayonne public, Adrien Truffert also made a very favorable contribution by offering a caviar to Arnaud Kalimuendo for a final 4-1 summarizing well this successful start to the campaign.

The French team, which will play its second preparation match on Thursday July 11 against the Dominican Republic, will launch its Olympic campaign on July 24 against the United States at the Stade Vélodrome, before facing Guinea in Nice three days later and New Zealand on the 30th again at the Vélodrome.